Auto trunk lid holder



March .14, 1961 J HlLBERs 2,974,989

AUTO TRUNK LID HOLDER Filed Feb. 20, 1959 v INVENTOR. JOHN HILBERS ATTORNEYS Unite States Patent 2,974,989 AUTO TRUNK LID HOLDER John Hilbers, 20013 Edmunton, St. Clair Shores, Mich.

Filed Feb. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 794,574

2 Claims. (Cl. 292-276) This invention relates generally to improvements in the auto trunk art, and, more particularly to a novel auto trunk lid holder adapted to hold an auto trunk lid in any desired opened position.

It is desirous in many instances to have the trunk lid of an auto open when hauling articles which are bulkyand lengthy, as for example, when hauling step ladders, Christmas trees and so forth. In order to keep the trunk lid from moving up and down and damaging the articles being hauled it is necessary that some device he used to secure that lid in some manner while the auto is traveling. Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a new and useful holder apparatus which is capable of securing an auto trunk lid in any desired opened position, and which is adjustable, and quickly and easily mountable in position.

It is another object of this invention to provide an auto trunk lid holder which incorporates an elongated rod having a first universally mounted quick acting clamp on the lower end thereof and a second universally mounted quick acting clamp on the upper end thereof, with said second quick acting clamp being carried on a bracket means which is slidably mounted on the rod.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an auto trunk lid holder which is simple and compact in construction, economical of manufacture, light in weight, and, eificient and safe in operation.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts of the several views.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a broken elevational view of a preferred embodiment made in accordance with the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a broken top plan view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 is a broken side elevational view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, taken in the direction of the arrow 3; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2, taken along the line 4-4 thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing, and in particular to Figs. 1 and 3, wherein is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral indicates the holder arm which is shown in rod form with the upper and lower ends being bent outwardly at right angles therefrom, as indicated by the numerals 11 and 12, respectively. The holder arm or rod 10 may be made from any suitable material, as for example, from a rust resistant steel rod material.

The holder rod 10 is adapted to carry a first universally mounted quick acting clamp as 13 on the lower end thereof and an adjustable bracket as 14 on the upper end thereof. The bracket 14 is adapted to carry a second universally mounted quick acting clamp as 15 on the short arm or rod 16. The upper quick acting clamp comprises a horizontally disposed U-shaped member which includes the bight portion 17 and the integral arms 18 and 19 which are provided at the outer ends thereof with the eye ends 20 and 21, respectively. The arm end 20 is adapted to be seated around the retainer member 22 and to be held thereagainst by means of the cup member 23 and the rivet 24. The rivet 24 also fixedly secures the clamp engagement annular rubber pad 25 in the cup member 23. The arm end 21 is similarly secured between the retainer member 26 and the cup member 27 by means of the rivet 28 which also secures the rubber clamp pad 29 in the cup member 27.

As shown in Fig. l, the upper clamp arm 19 is adapted to be moved toward the lower clamp arm 18 to fixedly secure an object therebetween by means of the cam member 30. The cam 30 is pivotally mounted by means of the pin 31 between the strap arms 32, the lower ends of which are positioned around and fixed to the clamp arm 18. The cam 30 is provided with the operating handle 34. When the handle 34 is in the solid line position shown in Fig. 1, the clamp arm 19 will be cammed downwardly into a clamping position. When the clamp arm 34 is moved to the dotted position shown in Fig. 1, the clamp arm 19 will spring upwardly into its dotted line released position shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the upper clamp 15 is swingably mounted on the metal strap member 35, the upper end of which encircles the lower clamp arm 18, as indicated by the numeral 36. The ends of the strap 35 are brought down and are provided with a hole therethrough for the reception of the bent over upper end 37 of the short holder rod 16. The rod portion 37 is peened on each side of the strap 35, as indicated by the numeral 38, to prevent the strap 35 from coming oil? of the rod 37. The strap 35 is, however, swingably mounted on the rod portion 37 and such action is not restrained by the peened portions or projections 38. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the lower end of the rod 16 is bent outwardly at right angles from the rod 16 in a direction opposite to the bent portion 37.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the rods 10 and 16 are adapted to be secured together in any adjusted vertical:

position by means of the bracket or carrier means 14. The bracket 14 includes the two complementary mating plates 40 and 41 which are provided with arcuately formed end portions for the reception and carryingof the rods 10 and 16. The plates 40 and 41 are adapted to be fixedly secured together and to clamp the rods 10 and 16 therebetween by means of the screw 42 and the wing nut 43. It will be seen that the bracket 14 may be moved upwardly and downwardly on the rod 10 to any desired position. The lower clamp means 13 is constructed the same as the upper clamp means 15 and the corresponding parts are marked with similar numerals followed by the small letter a. The lower clamp carrier strap 35a is adapted to be swingably mounted on the carrier rod portion 12 in the same manner as the upper clamp 15 is carried on the rod portion 37.

In the use of the auto trunk holder lid the lower clamp would be positioned so as to grip the auto body 1 44 at any desired position around the periphery of the auto trunk opening as illustrated in Fig. 1. The upper clamp 15 would be clamped over the edge of the auto trunk lid 45 and then the bracket 14 would he slid to the. desired position and clamped in place to provide the desired trunk lid opening. It will be obvious that, if desired, the bracket 14 could first be secured in its desired position and then the clamp 15 secured. It will be seen that the clamp means 13 and 15 are mounted on the car- Paiented Mar. 14,1961

rier rod 10 for universal movement whereby the holder may be used for any type auto and in any desired position. Experience has shown that an auto trunk holder of the present invention is eflicient in operation and very useful.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims. a

What I claim is:

1. An auto trunk lid holder, comprising: a first elongated rod having the lower integral end extended outwardly at right angles therefrom; a first clamp; means for adjustably mounting said first clamp on the lower outwardly extended end of said first rod for movement about the longitudinal axis of said lower extended end and about an axis at right angles to said lower extended end; a bracket adjustably mounted on said first rod; said bracket including a pair of plates with arcuately formed end portions; the arcuately formed end portions on one end of said plates receiving said first rod for clamping engagement therewith; a second rod received in the arcuately formed end portions on the other end of said plates and having the upper integral end thereof extended outwardly at right angles therefrom; means for fixedly securing said plates in clamping engagement with said rods; a second clamp;'and means for adjustably mounting said second clamp on the outwardly extended upper end of said second rod for movement about the longitudinal axis of said upper extended end and about an axis at right angles to said upper extended end.

2. The auto trunk lid holder as defined in claim 1, wherein: each of said clamps includes an arm portion; each of said means for adjustably mounting said clamps on their respective rods comprises a strap encircling and engaging the arm portion of the clamp to rotatably sup port the same, and, each of the ends of the strap being provided with holes for rotatably mounting the strap on the aforementioned respective rod ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 791,914 Jones June 6, 1905 2,019,789 Mahannah Nov. 5, 1935 2,243,517 Adamson May 27, 1941 2,739,748 Hoover Mar. 27, 1956 

